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Related Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

NOTE 7 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

2021 Transactions

 

Sale of Common Stock

 

On August 26, 2021, the Company completed the Offering of 1,642,856 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $7.00 per share, including 214,285 shares sold upon full exercise of the underwriter’s option to purchase additional shares, for gross proceeds of approximately $11.5 million. Two executive officers and three members of the Board of Directors participated in the offering and purchased approximately $1.3 million of common shares.

 

Convertible Notes Payable

 

See discussion in Note 6 regarding the $662,000 Stern Trust Note.

 

Additionally, Theodore Stern and Herbert Selzer (also a former member of the Board of Directors until June 9, 2021) provided conversion notices for their respective 2020 Notes converting the principal, repayment premium and interest in the amount of approximately $256,000 into approximately 41,000 shares of common stock.

 

Executive Officers

 

On June 14, 2021, Phillip L. Kumnick resigned as Chief Executive Officer of Ipsidy Inc., and Thomas L. Thimot was appointed Chief Executive Officer in his place. Further, Philip R. Broenniman resigned as President and Chief Operating Officer and Cecil N. Smith III (Tripp) was appointed President and Chief Technology Officer. In May 2021 the Company granted to each of Mr. Kumnick and Mr. Broenniman options (the “May 2021 Options”) to acquire a total of 1,166,667 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $7.20 per share for a term of ten years that vest upon the achievement of certain market capitalization thresholds, or performance conditions. In November 2021 Mr. Kumnick and Mr. Broenniman agreed to cancel 300,000 and 200,000, respectively, of these stock options in consideration of removing certain service conditions.

 

Mr. Thomas Thimot and Mr. Cecil Smith, became employed by the Company as Chief Executive Officer and President and Chief Technology Officer effective June 14, 2021. Mr. Thimot and the Company entered into an Offer Letter pursuant to which Mr. Thimot will earn an annual salary of $325,000 with a bonus target at 50% of the base salary (pro-rated for 2021) upon terms to be agreed with the Compensation Committee for 2021 and on the understanding that the 2022 target will include a requirement of the Company achieving three times the annual revenue of 2021. Additionally, Mr. Thimot was granted an option to acquire 1,200,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $7.80 per share for a term of ten years of which half of the options vest monthly over four years and the balance is subject  to certain performance vesting requirements.

 

On June 14, 2021, Mr. Smith and the Company entered an into an Offer Letter pursuant to which Mr. Smith will earn an annual salary of $275,000 with a bonus target at 50% of the base salary (pro-rated for 2021) upon terms to be agreed with the Compensation Committee for 2021. In addition, Mr. Smith will receive a bonus of $50,000 after 90 days of service. Additionally. Mr. Smith was granted an option to acquire 600,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $7.80 per share for a term of ten years of which half of the options vest monthly over four years and the balance is subject to certain performance vesting requirements.

 

Board of Directors

 

On June 9, 2021 Theodore Stern, Herbert Selzer and Thomas Szoke resigned as directors of the Company. The size of the Board of directors was increased to seven and Dr. Michael A. Gorriz, Michael L. Koehneman, Sanjay Puri, Mr. Thimot and Jacqueline L. White were appointed as additional directors of the Company. Messrs. Stern, Selzer and Szoke did not advise the Company of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to its operations, policies or practices. Mr. Szoke continued with the Company as Chief Solutions Architect until December 1, 2021 and entered an agreement with the Company in lieu of his Executive Retention Agreement in which he will receive $305,000 equally on a monthly basis for twelve months.  

 

The Company granted each of the four new Directors appointed in June 2021 stock options to acquire 62,500 shares of common stock or a total of 250,000 at an exercise price of $7.80 per share for a term of ten years that vest one third per year after each Annual Meeting. The Company granted the previously serving Directors stock options to acquire 93,470 common shares that were vested upon grant as the services were previously rendered. The stock options were granted in lieu of other forms of Director Compensation. The Company also granted Mr. Selzer and Mr. Stern 22,388 stock options to acquire common shares for service in 2021 prior to their resignation as Directors. Upon their resignation as Directors in June 2021, 13,992 stock options were vested and the balance was cancelled.

 

Additionally, the Company appointed another Director in November 2021 and granted stock options to acquire 29,173 shares of common stock that vest one third a year after each Annual Meeting beginning in 2022. One of the Directors appointed in June did not stand for reelection to the Board of Directors in December 2021 and forfeited 41,667 stock options. In December 2021, the Company granted additional options to acquire 10,238 shares of common stock each to five of the non-employee Directors by way of annual compensation under the Company’s compensation policy for non-employee directors and which vest monthly over a one-year-period

Other

 

In 2021, the Company and Progress Partners Inc. (“Progress”) modified their Business Advisory Agreement dated May 6, 2020 (“Progress Agreement”).  The amended Progress Agreement provides for Progress to undertake continuing business development activities for the Company, for which the Company paid Progress $350,000.   Additionally, the Company paid Progress, another $115,000 for additional consulting services. Mr. Puri, a former Director of the Company from June 9, to December 29, 2021 is an employee and Managing Director of Progress but is not a principal shareholder nor an executive officer of Progress.

 

2020 Transactions

 

Appointment of Executive Officers

 

Mr. Phillip Kumnick and Mr. Philip Broenniman, two of the Company’s Director’s became employed by the Company as Chief Executive Officer and President and Chief Operating Officer effective May 22, 2020.

 

Mr. Kumnick earned an initial base salary of $125,000 per annum, which was increased to $187,500 as of November 1, 2020 and is subject to review after one year. Mr. Kumnick was granted options to acquire 33,333,334 shares of common stock of which 20% vest at grant and the balance vest subject to performance conditions. Mr. Broenniman will earn an initial base salary of $87,500 per annum which was increased to $131,250 as of November 1, 2020 and is subject to review after one year. Mr. Broenniman was granted options to acquire 16,666,666 shares of common stock of which 20% vest at grant and the balance vest subject to performance conditions. Mr. Kumnick and Mr. Broenniman have bonus targets in their respective employment arrangements subject to meeting certain performance thresholds.

 

Issuance of Common Stock

 

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company granted 1,500,000 shares of Restricted Common Stock to each of Phillip Kumnick and Philip Broenniman, new members of our Board of Directors, in connection with their compensation for service as Board Members. The restricted stock vested in 2021 upon the achievement of certain performance criteria.  

 

Warrant Exercises

 

On June 30, 2020, Company entered into and consummated a private transaction pursuant to which a portion of the Company’s warrants exercisable at per share price of $3.00 (the “$3.00 Warrants”) were exercised for cash at an exercise price of $2.10 per share. In addition, the holders that exercised the $3.00 Warrants received a warrant exercisable for two years to acquire one share of common stock at an exercise price of $4.50 per share (the $4.50 Warrants”) for every four $3.00 Warrants exercised. Mr. Theodore Stern, a director of the Company, participated in the private transaction resulting in the issuance of 33,334 shares of common stock and 8,333 $4.50 Warrants in consideration of $70,000; and Varana Capital Focused, LP (“VCFLP”), participated in the private transaction resulting in the issuance of 123,889 shares of common stock and 30,792 $4.50 Warrants, in consideration of $260,167. Mr. Philip Broenniman, a director, the President and COO of the Company is the investment manager of VCFLP.

 

On June 30, 2020, Company entered into and consummated a private transaction pursuant to which a portion of the Company’s warrants exercisable at per share price of $1.80 (the “$1.80 Warrants”) were exercised. In addition, the holders that exercised the $1.80 Warrants also received a $4.50 Warrant for every two $1.80 Warrants exercised. Vista Associates, L.P., (“Vista”) of which, Mr. Herbert Selzer a director of the Company, is the General Partner, participated in the private transaction resulting in the issuance of 29,333 shares of common stock and 14,667 $4.50 Warrants, in consideration of $52,800.

Sale of Common Stock

 

On June 30, 2020, the Company also entered into a Subscription Agreement with VCFLP pursuant to which VCFLP purchased 23,810 shares of common stock in consideration of $50,000.

 

Convertible Notes Payable

 

Theodore Stern and Philip Beck former members of the Board of Directors of the Company, invested $50,000 each in consideration of the 2020 Notes. Another former director, Herbert Selzer invested $100,000 in consideration of a 2020 Note in the principal amount of $100,000. Vista held 29,33 2015 Warrants, which were also extended as a result of Mr. Selzer’s investment and as noted above were exercised for cash on June 30, 2020. See Note 6

Further, the Company and the Stern Trust entered the Restated Stern Note providing that the $2,000,000 principal of the Stern Note will be due and payable on the same terms (bearing interest at 15% per annum) and on the same maturity date as the 2020 Notes and subject to the same Security Agreement. The interest due under the Stern Note as of January 31, 2020 in the amount of $662,000 has been capitalized and will earn interest at 10% per annum, which at the election of the Stern Trust can be paid in shares of common stock at a conversion price of $0.20 and the maturity of such interest shall be extended to the same maturity date as the 2020 Notes. The Restated Stern Note includes a 50% repayment premium. Mr. Stern, the Trustee of the Stern Trust also entered into the Security Agreement as one of the joint collateral agents.

 

Other

 

In connection with the offering of the 2020 Notes and the sale of common stock in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company paid Network 1 Financial Securities, Inc., a registered broker-dealer (“Network 1”), a cash fee of approximately $471,800. A former member of the Company’s Board of Director’s maintains a partnership with a principal of Network 1.

 

Additionally, the Company rents office space in Long Beach, New York at a monthly cost of $5,000 (as of January 1, 2020 reduced from $7,425). The rent was further reduced to $2,500 per month beginning October 1, 2020. The agreement is month to month and can be terminated on 30 days’ notice. The agreement is between the Company and Bridgeworks LLC, an entity principally owned by Mr. Beck, a former member of the Board of Directors and his family. During years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company paid rent of $52,500 and $89,100 respectively.

 

On May 22, 2020, the Company and Mr. Beck entered into a separation letter agreement, which provided for payment to Mr. Beck of one year’s severance in the amount of $350,000 as well as certain employee benefits, payable in accordance with the terms of Mr. Beck’s Retention Agreement. Mr. Beck’s severance was paid over a one-year period. Furthermore, the company started recording the expense associated with Mr. Beck’s restricted stock agreement dated September 29, 2017. In connection with the separation letter agreement, the Company exchanged the September 29, 2017 Restricted Stock Agreement to substantially modify the vesting provisions of the previously issued 500,000 shares of restricted stock and allows a time-vesting provision whereby the restricted shares will fully vest by May 2022. On October 30, 2020, pursuant to the terms of Mr. Beck’s Restricted Stock Agreement, as amended by the Separation Agreement, the Company repurchased for $1.00 the 500,000 Unvested Restricted Stock upon his resignation from the Board of Directors.